Zune unboxing (with video!)

We got our Zune(s) in the mail today, and we really wanted you to be there when we unboxed 'em. We did the brown in stills, and the black on camera. Go enjoy this moment, for tomorrow many of you will have one of your own.

It says:

1. Load the startup software.
2. When prompted by the software, connect and charge Zune. Full charge can take up to 3 hours.
3. Sync your music, video, and pictures.

That's it. Not bad. Anyone manning those support lines?

Button explanation.

[Jeff Foster @ Nov 13th 2006 6:32PM]

thank god we dont yet have smell-o-vision.

the fact that the link is an affiliate link is pretty annoying.

[cire @ Nov 13th 2006 8:33PM]

Hey Carbon how much did MS pay you to say that? Go ahead be a sucker & buy that MS sh@# brick. lamo

[Tech Diva XXX @ Nov 14th 2006 4:56AM]

iPod styling still looks way better, sorry. There are indeed other players that get less press that look more innovative than the iPod. But the Zune is not even close to them!

[Sy @ Nov 13th 2006 4:36PM]

...Wake me up with the true video iPod is out.

[Anthony @ Nov 13th 2006 4:39PM]

Not bad. But I will be interested in any statistics that show how many Zunes sold on release day v. iPods.

I like the brown & like the integration of the "click wheel" in the grey trim.

If it were thinner & had a bigger hard drive I'd be more interested.

[p @ Nov 15th 2006 5:35PM]

I had a brown "zune" myself this morning. :)

good thing for bathroom fans.

[pyro @ Nov 13th 2006 4:40PM]

lol the strip was to pull to pick up the zune.

[mitch @ Nov 13th 2006 4:42PM]

What's funny is that even preloaded artists seem to be friends of the unzune initiative on myspace... at least two I recall check this out! ;-)
http://www.myspace.com/unzune

[dbr999 @ Nov 13th 2006 4:42PM]

zune puts the tingle in my dingle

[Jeff Foster @ Nov 13th 2006 5:09PM]

you might want to see a doctor.

[The Grand Master @ Nov 13th 2006 5:07PM]

There is no tingle in dingle!!!!!!!

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

My mind has been blown, and is pouring out of my ears!

You sir, should be ashamed of yourself!

Messing with peoples minds like that!

[hambyrya @ Nov 13th 2006 4:42PM]

Thanks for the pics/vid. You couldn't find an intern or a random Engadget fan to hold the camera for you? I'll do it for $50 a week and any free gadgets you don't want!

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Nov 13th 2006 8:27PM]

LOL, sooner or later someone was going to ask why can't the worlds most popular gadget blog get a fuckin' cameraman! Look it's this easy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztMKS_q9CK4

[hotep @ Nov 14th 2006 4:38PM]

i love video posts, but come on... it kills me to watch this poor guy struggle through the insides, with one hand holding the camera.

[Christian Martin @ Nov 13th 2006 4:51PM]

I really don't understand the massive push for the Zune to be thinner. Personally speaking... I don't care. It's either on my desk or in my backpack.

Video iPod? Nah, no thanks. Another excuse for Quicktime to hijack my extensions.

I'll give the Zune a shot. In brown, to further annoy everyone.

[MrKnockerz @ Nov 20th 2006 12:48AM]

Lol! Thats the right attitude!
I like the black one with the blue double-shot effect.
But I'll wait till Christmas so they can get all the bugs out.

[punkintoter2 @ Aug 30th 2007 11:29PM]

Go Martin!!!!!!!!!

[RyanTV @ Nov 13th 2006 4:52PM]

I'm not sure why anyone cares about this product. It is nothing revolutionary - The design is terrible & so is the form factor. Microsoft has found themselves a new way to throw money away!

[Polysonic @ Nov 13th 2006 4:58PM]

you're quite good at working with one hand, either that or the packaging was designed for one-handed people.
Zune's new target market is the Def Leopard

[mct75 @ Nov 13th 2006 5:00PM]

I bet more 5.5g ipods are sold than zunes on launch day...

[matt weeder @ Nov 13th 2006 5:00PM]

ha ha true gadget pron... one handed.

[ben english @ Nov 13th 2006 5:02PM]

Oh I love the zune. I can't wait to buy one.
I had a brand new ipod 30gb black with johnny depp on the front but sold it to get one of these.

[M. Rod Von Hugenstein @ Nov 13th 2006 5:05PM]

Yeah, I hope this thing dies, and quick. I was almost willing to accept this thing until I heard about Zune points. And Zune points can only be bought in $5.00 increments. To make it worse, each song is 79 Zune points, so you will always have extra points left over that you can not use.

I don't really feel like letting Microsoft hold onto my money until I buy another song, so take a hike Zune.

[CHRISSIRHC09 @ Nov 15th 2006 2:37PM]

WELL DONT U HAVE POINTS (MONEY) LEFT OVER WHEN U BUY A SONG FROM ITUNES

[Jon @ Nov 13th 2006 5:07PM]

I only wish it was Plays For Sure compatible. I may have bought a Zune instead of an HD-DVD player for my 360.

[Matt @ Nov 13th 2006 5:11PM]

waste of cardboard ink and plastic. the should just sell them in the brown boxes, well at least the brown one cause it looks like shit.

zune = ipod knockoff
zune headphones - ipod headphone knockoff
zune usb = ipod usb knockoff
zune software = itunes knockoff

COME ONE MS MAKE SOMETHING OF YOUR OWN DESIGN

[Picklesworth @ Nov 13th 2006 5:21PM]

"zune headphones - ipod headphone knockoff"
"zune usb = ipod usb knockoff"

Er... that's like saying the design for a yogurt container is copying your fish tank.

[Thomas @ Nov 13th 2006 5:24PM]

Matt, got to calm down just a bit there. True, when I saw the headphones I did think ol' skool iPod there, but come on, a USB cable?! Can't really do much with one of them.

Zune ent an iPod knockoff, because the knockoffs look somewhat decent. And relating to software, well it would have had to follow the iTunes route, seeing as iTunes ... sells music.

Heck, I know I dont think much of MS, but even though I own a Mac and an iPod, I have got to say, comparing two USB cables takes things a tad too far.

[Tob3z @ Nov 13th 2006 5:26PM]

ipod headphones suck and so does iTunes.

[Woody56292 @ Nov 13th 2006 5:39PM]

ipod headphones are magnetic? since when!?!

[Brian @ Nov 13th 2006 6:49PM]

zune headphones - ipod headphone knockoff
>>>They don't look anything like Apple earphones. What do you want, giant studio headphones instead?

zune usb = ipod usb knockoff
>>> Again, there's only so many ways to make a sync cable, and this one isn't white or anything.

zune software = itunes knockof
>>> You probably haven't even seen the Zune desktop software, just a couple of pictures, in which case most media players look alike to some degree. As for the Zune player software, it's no more similar than any other list-based mp3 software (read: ANY modern mp3 player)

[Amorde @ Nov 13th 2006 5:15PM]

Does anyone know how many colors the Zune screen supports? is it 65,000 colors like the Ipod? or 16.7 million color like the Archos series?

[monkeydust @ Nov 13th 2006 5:18PM]

"Video iPod? Nah, no thanks. Another excuse for Quicktime to hijack my extensions."

nice
i feel the same way ive had a 30gb ipod video b4 and had a mini and ive had a rio and a sony walkman nwa100 it will be nice to see what M$ can do. i like the big screen and the fack that its not a F**KING IPOD!!!!!!!

[Captain @ Nov 13th 2006 5:28PM]

Let me set the record straight for a few of you misguided apple fanboys.

Apple has a wonderful product. Their 5G ipod is the best DAP they have ever designed. Its interface and ease of use is very simple. Its design is innovative.

With that said, I want to point out that the criticisms that the Zune is getting is unfair. So what its bigger. Its about the same size that the old ipods were. Whats the big deal? The screen was designed to be bigger than the ipod's, thus the unit will be bigger. Its simple mathematics. Not only that, but the Zune has features such as an FM radio and wifi. Frankly, I'm impressed at how they were able to keep the player at such a manageable size (being that its not too much bigger than the ipod) and still add all of those cool features.

I agree that it was poor taste for Microsoft to abandon their own DRM. That was stupid. They could have included support for it. THis is something that's possible to add later, but it should have come standard. And as far as critisms go for propietary software, I'm sure Apple offers much more freedoms :)

After looking at other mp3 players such as the Meizu, I totally agree that Microsoft could have done better in overall design and looks. But, the zune is not an ugly player by far. I have seen a lot worse. The ipod's design is getting dated, and next to the Zune, looks prehistoric.

I also agree that the zune falls short on features that are found in other players such as the Zen Vision: M. No recording features, no divx and other file format support, Not even a stand alone charger in the box (Obviously a practice ripped from Apple to save on costs). But, let me again call your attention to ipod's very limited support.

As far as content goes, I hope you guys don't think Microsfoft is going to get zilch from its deal with Universal. The content will be there. Trust me.

And Microsoft's stupid RIAA- friendly 3x3 rule? I don't even see a wifi - muic sharing option on the ipod.

The fact is, Microsoft has a formidale player to offer good competition to the ipod. Not only that, but what sets this player apart from the rest is that it has MICROSOFT behind it. I'm sure they have a war chest that is much greater than Apple's. Remember how Microsoft dethroned PALM with its POCKETPC platform? If Apple is not careful it could find itself chilling with the makers of the palm pilot.

[Christian Martin @ Nov 13th 2006 5:42PM]

Thank you to someone for FINALLY presenting a well structured, intelligent and informative unbiased view. It is with a heavy heart, however, that I tell you to look for your comment to be lowest ranked as a result.

[Tech Diva XXX @ Nov 14th 2006 5:19AM]

I disagree. The 5.5 gen. iPod looks better than the 1st gen. Zune. And Zune's software looks like a pain to install with too much Big Brother info required. There are too many restrictions on your wifi usage. Sharing is useless if you can't truly share the music. DRM is DRM, whether it's Apple or MSFT, so going from one to another is really no better. It's also very unpopular. It's too early to tell if the Zune will beat the iPod. I think the 2nd or 3rd generation maybe. Get the software bugs worked out, loosen up on DRM, and find a sleeker design. Then we'll talk. Otherwise you can't beat the iPod THIS time.

[Mike D @ Nov 13th 2006 5:28PM]

I still don't understand why we need pictures AND a video of somebody opening a package. It's not very exciting and I'm perfectly capable of opening a package myself without prior video instruction. Since when is opening a package gadget news? This is retarded.

[Tech Diva XXX @ Nov 14th 2006 4:39AM]

Mike D, they probably do this for those who want the product but don't have it, and need a fix. LOL!

[Lindsay @ Feb 7th 2008 1:20AM]

Haha, that is funny. I have agree on that. the video is rather pointless. Although I have gotten packages in the mail before and wasn't sure how to open it, or take the product out of the box. (that was sarcasm for those of you who didn't get that, I'd rather not get usless replys :))

[Fruition @ Nov 13th 2006 5:35PM]

I like to root for the underdog, so I'd really like to see the Zune turn out to be good. Wow it feels weird calling Microsoft the underdog...

[Jeff Foster @ Nov 13th 2006 6:32PM]

i dont think you understand what "unbiased" means. Sure, he was composed, but bias is intrinsically linked with opinion, and he's definitely spouting opinion.

anyway, since when was an unboxing zune video's comments section in desperate need of an unbiased view? shouldn't we talk about, i dont know, the article's subject?

What he wrote is really just an apology and excuse piece about the Zune. If there are legitimate complaints, there's no reason to apologize for them or make excuses. it's pointless. that may be why he can expect a low rating for his comment.

[Water @ Nov 13th 2006 5:46PM]

The Zune is hot. Some of the features are not. Most notably, you can't use Zune as a portable hard drive. I would be all over this thing (like those two Japanese girls in the picture in the Zune software installer) if it wasn't for that.

My iPod 3rd gen still works...slightly...so I guess I'll wait for Zune Gen 2.

[xoconostle @ Nov 13th 2006 5:46PM]

Got news for ya. Apple is not working on a "true video iPod." This is a self-propagating myth on the 'net. Zune's "beaming" feature is slow, slow. It is not an appropriate selling point. There is and will be no "iPod killer." The only thing that will "kill" the iPod would be a highly unlikely series of missteps by Apple, or the eventual, inevitable improvement and change in portable media player tech that will render the current meme obsolete. Apple IS working on that, but don't hold your breath. :-)

[v_dogg @ Nov 13th 2006 5:48PM]

haha, the zune comes with a sticker.

[Lee @ Nov 13th 2006 5:59PM]

Wait a minute. Am I the only one who, when something arrives via post, refuses to blindly accept that what can be seen on top of the foam is everything there is?

C'mon! I would have spent *at least* another 90 seconds dumping all those shavings out, looking in the box, and then rifling through the shavings - just to be sure. I mean, what if the guy who filled the box was eating a sandwich while on the phone with his girlfriend...and his phone fell in? Or better yet, some of his sandwich?

Shame on you Engadget; where's the investigative reporting??

[Rick Lyon @ Nov 13th 2006 6:07PM]

Hmm, creative packaging......kinda looks like, nah, don't want fan boys to flame.

[rp @ Nov 13th 2006 6:08PM]

heh, i like the packaging...

another site posted a new toshiba player that might be the nano version of zune:

http://sixpop.com/images/images/27260201.jpg

[cire @ Nov 13th 2006 6:13PM]

I'm not impressed. I'll wait till the 2nd or 3rd gen before I buy. Yawn.. Just like I am not impressed with the Xbox 360. Yawn!! The PS3 is going to rule! Maybe when MS can come up with an original idea.. Not...lol

[Andy Pearson @ Nov 13th 2006 6:14PM]

U-G-L-Y!!! Emporer's new clothes anyone?

[Christian Martin @ Nov 13th 2006 7:56PM]

Please research and review the definition and etymology of the word "sarcasm" and get back to me.

Sorry it wasn't obvious enough. I'll dumb it down next time.